Government offices will soon be trading in their old computers for energy efficient machines, the Environmental Protection Ministry announced on Friday.

Switching over to energy efficient computers, part of a larger project advocating green public purchasing, will save the government an estimated NIS 900,000 each year, the ministry reported.

The Environmental Protection Ministry and the EU hosted a “Green Public Procurement” conference encouraging green purchasing by the public sector in Jerusalem on Wednesday and Thursday. At the conference, ministry representatives presented data about the financial savings that can be generated when taking environmental impact into consideration while making purchases.

The government has selected the company Kravitz as the supplier of recycled paper to all government offices, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, government offices will soon switch to energy efficient monitors and televisions, which will save millions of shekels annually.

These changes will also reduce air pollution, help curb greenhouse gas emissions and improve quality of life, according to the ministry.

“I’m pleased that we have succeeded in implementing behavioral changes also in the operations of the government, which now understands that the implementation of environmental considerations in decision-making has economic benefits,” said Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan, in a statement released by his office. “The government is taking responsibility and applying to its offices what it requests of the public – small but meaningful changes in daily behavior that already have been proven to save energy and public funds.”